1,100-acre KPT land encroached, NA told

ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Maritime Affairs informed the National Assembly that approximately 1,100 acres of Karachi Port Trust (KPT) land, particularly along sea backwaters, have been encroached upon over the last few decades due to political influences and other factors.

In response to a question raised by Malik Shakir Bashir Awan during the Question Hour, the Ministry of Maritime Affairs stated that, in line with the prime minister’s directives, a series of joint anti-encroachment operations has been conducted to reclaim KPT land from encroachers.

Anti-encroachment teams from KPT, the Government of Sindh, Port Security Force (KPT), Pakistan Rangers (Sindh), and Sindh Police have carried out joint operations in five major encroached localities and several other areas.

Since the anti-encroachment campaign began on January 21, 2025, approximately 60 acres of encroached land have been recovered so far. The KPT is continuing its efforts to reclaim as much land as possible and has formulated effective measures to protect and utilise the recovered land.

The Port Qasim Authority (PQA) also has an Anti-Encroachment Cell (AEC) that remains vigilant in safeguarding its land. The status of encroached areas under the PQA is as follows:

a) M/s Zaviar Enterprises: Seventeen acres of land were successfully vacated and repossessed from land grabbers in 2022 through an operation conducted by PQA Security with the support of local police and administration.

b) Bijaar Kalmati Goth: Twenty-two acres of land are currently under litigation (CP No 1004/2013), preventing any action until the court passes a decision.

c) Gulshan-e-Benazir Township Scheme Block-D: An area measuring 7.84 acres was temporarily allocated to flood-affected people in 2010 at the request of the then Commissioner of Karachi. Multiple attempts have been made in the past to vacate the land from illegal occupants, but these efforts have not been successful.

The PQA is making continuous efforts to engage with the Sindh government to resolve the issue. As a result of persistent follow-up with departments concerned, the Karachi commissioner convened a meeting on January 6, 2025, to address the matter.

The Malir deputy commissioner, the Sindh director of anti-encroachment and relevant PQA staff attended the meeting. Subsequently, a joint survey was conducted by Mukhtiar-kar Taluka Ibrahim Hyderi, and the report was submitted to the deputy commissioner. The PQA is pursuing the vacation of encroached land in accordance with legal provisions, in close coordination with local police and civil administration, to promptly resolve the issue.

Recently, Pakistan Rangers (Sindh) conducted a field survey of land currently under illegal occupation by land grabbers.